#elvira cai

[xiaolanhua]

Fake It Till You Make It 装腔启示录 (2023)

#cdrama #cdramaedit #fake it till you make it #cao weining #elvira cai #elvis han #han dong jun #my gifs #* #tvedit #dailytvgifs #dailytvfilmgifs #userdramas #useryd #uservivs #roserayne #userhoshii #couple compilation

[gabrielokun]

#My Girlfriend's Boyfriend #我女朋友的男朋友 #Gabriel makes stuff #CDrama #Chinese Drama #A Zhai #Bai Shu #Adam #Ya Dang #Li Chuan #Xia Wa #Eve #Elvira Cai #Ya Dang x A Zhai #Adam x A Zhai #Ya Dang x A Zhai x Xia Wa #Adam x A Zhai x Eve

[romchat]

Cinematography of Falling in Love: Fake It Till You Make It (Ep. 6)

How do you film the complicated process of two characters falling in love?

When we talk about our favorite romantic scenes, we often point to the role of great acting or writing in creating that magical feeling all romance fans crave. But cinematography, the art of visually capturing stories through a camera, can also be a powerful tool in conveying that heady but scary feeling of falling in love.

I think a great example of this is the Chinese drama Fake It Till You Make It (FITYMI).

Set against the cutthroat world of Beijing's Central Business District, FITYMI is a story about finding authenticity and connection in an otherwise pretentious world. The show follows two professionals, Tang Ying, an ambitious attorney, and Xu Ziquan, a successful investment banker, as they navigate the social challenges of their high-pressure jobs. Ying and Ziquan constantly pretend to be more sophisticated and carefree than they truly are, and the show uses their characters to offer incisive commentary about the ways modern life forces us to compromise our sense of self in order to "make it."

It's this context that makes FITYMI such a compelling romance: despite the masks Ying and Ziquan wear in their professional and personal lives, they ultimately learn to show their true selves to one another and fall in love. And it's through the show's subtle use of composition, shot size, and camera movement that we not only see but feel the tentativeness with which Ying and Ziquan cultivate this connection. It's a messy mix of one step forward and two steps back, and the show’s cinematography beautifully matches the characters’ gradual shift from a flirtatious and tender yet largely undefined relationship to one of committed love.

I don't think any episode demonstrates this dynamic more clearly than Episode 6.

Scene 1: "When I Felt Tempted By You"

Something that I appreciate about the show's cinematography is how it treats Beijing as a secondary character. Even when focusing on our two main characters, FITYMI often uses wide shots with deep depth of field, allowing us to clearly see the hustle and bustle of city life in the background. These shots help communicate the loneliness and societal pressure always present in our characters' fast-paced lives.

Because of this, let's pay attention to how this urban background appears or disappears when Ying and Ziquan are shown spending time together.

In this scene, we see Ziquan impulsively call Ying after a difficult day at work. He's leaning against the wall in exhausted defeat, the cityscape in the background dominating the other two-thirds of the frame. He's at a low point in his career and feels isolated by his industry colleagues.

Ying knows him well enough to recognize his mood so she offers to meet and commiserate.

We can see their closeness by the immediate cut to a close-up shot with both characters similarly aligned on the left side of the frame.

So when he rejects her offer, the camera quickly reframes and pans around Ying to the other side, signaling her shift in mood.

When Ziquan gently asks why she stopped talking, there's another cut to a medium shot of Ying against a busy street backdrop. They've stumbled upon a sore spot in their more-than-just-friends relationship.

In describing the dating landscape of FITYMI, Director Li Mo has noted that in this world there is:

"An unspoken self-preservation, the fear of being seen truly, the fear of kindness being mistaken for weakness, and sincerity being seen as foolish. Within these layers is the lonely soul of the city, bearing weariness and fatigue with nowhere to vent, craving sincere relationships yet unwilling to open up due to the fear of being hurt." (translation via /u/lollipopdeath)

Ying obviously wants to be an emotional support for Ziquan and yet she's wary about being seen as the weaker one who fell in love first. She begins to retreat as an act of self-preservation and the camera language loses the intimacy of those initial shots.

Ziquan hears the disappointment in her voice and steps into the center of the frame as if sensing this is a critical juncture in their relationship that he must be fully present for. Note how the blurriness of the cityscape background creates a lot of negative space around him. He no longer cares about the outside world; all that matters at this moment is Ying.

Slightly teary-eyed but unable to fully articulate his feelings, he reiterates that he just wants to hear her voice for a bit.

But tired of the games, Ying takes a deep breath and then drops a bomb:

"Forget about that. Let's talk about us. Do you want to know when I felt tempted by you?"

What I love about this moment is that it's a moment of extreme vulnerability but shot from a slightly low angle, giving Ying a sense of empowerment. Low-angle shots can alter the power dynamics within a scene because the upward perspective highlights the importance or magnitude of a character's actions. Asking this question is incredibly brave of her, confirmed by Ziquan's shocked and overwhelmed face.

But when Ziquan doesn't immediately follow her confession with one of his own, Ying once again retreats. Hurt, she claims she was just joking to entertain him and that they can continue being friends. The camera pans and her bitterly smiling face fills the frame as if to build herself up after that blow to her confidence and pride.

The scene eventually ends with a devastating wide shot, Ying but a small figure on an empty bridge. She is still a lonely soul of the city.

Despite the numerous tender and romantic moments they had shared in previous episodes, Ying and Ziquan have firmly placed their masks back on.

Scene 2: "You're Waiting For A Worthy Rival"

Later that episode, Ziquan asks Ying out for dinner and she reluctantly agrees.

As usual, they effortlessly banter about life and love, the scene cutting back and forth between the two as they trade verbal volleys over the hotpot. Their chemistry is undeniable and you can see both reveling in the fact that they've found their intellectual match.

At one point, Ziquan begins talking about the importance of rationality in love, and Ying fires back:

"No matter how time changes, there's one thing that makes women really thrilled. If there's a man who loves her with full passion until he loses himself, until he'd die for her, until he becomes a fool, then that woman would be thrilled, you know?"

Eventually, they settle on the topic of Ying's failed first love.

Like in the previous scene, the show uses increasingly intimate close-up shots to convey the quiet vulnerability of the moment. But this time, there's a dream-like quality to the conversation: the background actors suddenly disappear and the shallow depth of field and spotlight lighting remove any remaining worldly distractions.

Unlike their previous dates that happened against the backdrop of Beijing's busy nightlife, here it's like they're in a world of their own.

As if thinking of Ziquan's earlier rejection, Ying ruefully describes how her first love taught her an important lesson:

"I swore to myself that I'd never enter an uncontrollable relationship nor become the fool who overestimated her charm in love....I should find a rich and cool old man so I won't really be in love. I'll get by with him. When he passes away, I'll inherit all his fortune and enjoy my life in his villa."

Placed in the center of the frame, she speaks directly into the camera and we see a series of emotions play across her face. It's the most revealing she's been about herself with Ziquan.

When he pushes back on the idea of her marrying without love, Ying jokingly asks "Are you jealous?"

Ziquan reluctantly shakes his head but admits:

I've never been so deeply loved by a girl. I'm not jealous--I'm super jealous. Tang Ying, you're not looking for someone out of your league. You're waiting for...a worthy rival."

His close-up matches hers in its composition.

This time, he also took off his mask.

BONUS: shout out to the funniest zoom-in of this entire show.

Seems like Ziquan is well on his way to acting like a fool in front of Ying.

#fake it till you make it #装腔启示录 #cdrama #elvis han #Han Dongjun #elvira cai #Cai Wen Jing #meta #cinematography

[doramasquishy2blog]

FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT

I really have to write this down and I am loving the story and the character development of the leads.

The leads started off as friends.They hang out and talk about relationships, work and generally about life.

Tan Ying worked as a lawyer.She was passionate and hardworking.In her job she learned the value of empathy.She suffered from so many setbacks.Despite of the pressure in the workplace she remained persistent and in the end her hardwork has finally paid off.Her tenacious attitude at work makes her reliable and trustworthy.Tan Ying later suffered from health problems and she realized that she have to slow down and to just live in the moment. No matter how busy we get we should never take our health for granted.

Xu Zi Quan works in an investment company where competition and pressure is always present.He is successful in his job and very smart.He suffered from a painful heartbreak and it changed his views on love.He never thought about settling down.

Both wanted to remain as friends at first.Tan Ying even confessed that she is falling for him but she was afraid he was giving her false hope.Zi Quan had to reassure her that he has given up on his old playboy ways and that he only wanted to be with her. They even wore a friendship ring but love has so much in store for them.

When they were together they learn how to trust each other and open up to each other. I just love how they were able to talk about their problems as a couple.I would say that proposal is the sweetest and realistic.It feels good to be with someone who can be with you through the good and the bad.

Though I find the other parts boring especially about the scenes in the workplace. But overall there are so many relatable lines from the drama.There is humor with a mixed of reality.The actors were very natural and their chemistry is on fire.

We all need a good soundtrack for a good drama.

#fake it till you make it #elvira cai #Elvis han #cdrama #chinese drama #asian drama

[k-airportstyle]

Cai Wenjing - September 6th 2022

#cai wenjing #female #elvira cai

[exohoesworld]

they really bad for my sanity !!!

#fake it till you make it #han dongjun #elvira cai #elvis han

[decrescendo]

[ENGSUB] Zhang Xincheng and Cai Wenjing singing “紅豆/Red Beans”

I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH AND THEY BOTH SOUND GREAT

ZXC felt so bad when he realized that the version he decided to switch to was too high for CWJ 😂 CWJ was so gracious and good-humored about everything, though.

#my subs #steven zhang #zhang xincheng #cai wenjing #elvira cai

[thehandbox]

Unexpected Falling

Ruan Zhen Zhen has led a simple and happy life under the protection of her financial guru husband. Everything disappears in a flash after the death of her husband. Forced out of her bubble, Ruan Zhen Zhen is left to shoulder a huge amount of debt. Suddenly, lawyer Gao Jun walks into her life. Ruan Zhen Zhen may be innocent but she is not dumb. She keeps her guard up in the face of the sudden intruder and remains skeptical towards his enthusiasm to help. Will she ever open up her heart?

#Elvira Cai #Peng Guan Ying #Unexpected Falling #kdramas #kdrama #doramas #doroma

[tsinaygal]

Live Your Life (Lin Yushen & Elvira Cai Wenjing ) 2021*

看完了! 不錯, 我喜歡👍⋯⋯好笑也很可愛. 媽媽看得好開心喔！值得!

[hawkins-iron]

HAWKINS HIGH SCHOOL

A Coca-Cola suando o vidro do copo e o sol do meio-dia afagando a nuca. Andorinhas que não fazem verão, mas corcéis americanos da Ford estacionados nos cânions do país e armando seus piqueniques. Cestinhas de madeira e guardanapo colorido envolvendo o sanduíche de geleia com pasta de amendoim. A moda do mullet e a cabeleira tipo Elvira. Rádio a pilhas da Sanyo, uma galera pop em volta e sassaricando à melódica grunge de Smells Like Teen Spirit. Nirvana é irado, chocante… É o sonho do Tio Sam. Estrelas alvas no fundo azul-marinho, na curatela de listras vermelhas intercaladas por brancas. Estados Unidos da América das gatinhas e dos gatões. A terra da liberdade de paletó e gravata em Wall Street. Velho Oeste sendo a oeste, sem leste e moleques. Tem caubói e tem empresário, capitalismo e globalização. Onde o próspero desponta, em primeiro sempre fica.

Ano de 1990, baby. Rock and roll e “Bye, Bye, Mary”. Jeans cá e acolá, nada sutis, sempre extravagantes. O solo estadunidense é pró e quo: vencer e vencer. Todos sentem-se confortáveis, seja lá que parte faça-se vista. Época das boy bands tietadas até o Quinto dos Infernos. Dias estes, também, de infelicidades; protestos, passeatas, a política surfando. Um tal Bush Sênior presidente na Casa Branca, tão herói do combate ao extremo socialismo quanto Mike Tyson fora honesto diante Evander Holyfield. O centro é o mesmo, imutável. E tudo o que se sabe, é sabido pelo resto do mundo.

Todavia, não nessas bandas… Quando o molinete libera a linha e o anzol cai no Lago dos Apaixonados, especificamente em Hawkins, das duas, uma: ou pesca o chapéu do rancheiro que vai arrancar o teu coro ou engata uma porção de atrocidades à moda antiga para zerar os pontos que em outrora a sua vida possuía. Se a crina do cavalo é crespa, é bom que se apresse e escove até o último fio. Nesta cidade de sete mil habitantes e nervosos conservadores suportando a vicissitude geracional, as ruas estão movimentadas e exercendo o teor orgânico da sociedade como um corpo. Os estabelecimentos tradicionais mantêm-se ativos, e a clientela que comprou ano passado ainda compra hoje. É impossível tolerar o mormaço, a quentura da minúscula Sherry — apelido notório do burgo — tomada por ondas de calor antes nunca testemunhadas. De boca em boca, os cidadãos não se esquecem dos bárbaros incêndios suscitados perto de lojas e praças públicas, geralmente partindo de pequenas reservas florestais ou de panes elétricas ocasionadas em fator de constante superaquecimento sobre fiações públicas e sistemas de ventilação comerciais. O boom econômico americano, o quase provável fim da Guerra Fria e as crenças aguerridas acerca do comunismo, juntamente do que calharia a ser um dos maiores alavanques de empregabilidade da história, parecem não ser o suficiente, o palpável. Algo revolta idosos e adultos. Algo diz que, na maré contrária do restante da nação, só há retrocesso e maldição cercando o local majoritariamente tomado pela cultura do gado e dos vaqueiros. Embora os lamentos sejam visíveis e a prosperidade esteja adquirindo belas tonalidades após o colapso de uma enferma e moribunda União Soviética beijando a implosão de sua ordem, o mundo é “bão e num para” — diriam e dizem os velhos interioranos — e as engrenagens precisam girar, seguir estrada. As aulas voltaram, as poucas instituições escolares estão à ativa, superlotando, transbordando de pirralhos calouros e veteranos vestindo oversize e tecidos estampados extremamente chamativos, vistosos. Nunca se viu do tipo. Uma colmeia perigosa e curiosa da Geração X. Nem os desaparecimentos de 1985 e início deste ano noticiados puderam frear a onda do público que anseia mastigar a virada da década e engolir o tsunami do inédito e inefável. Contudo, os memoriais dos sumidos jovens ilustram fachadas de escolas e mercadinhos, e as fotos podem ser vistas no quadro de avisos da prefeitura. Nas residências, pais inspiram e expiram medo. Na Delegacia Municipal, policiais pressionados por um xerife de condado insatisfeito com os casos não solucionados. Mutirões ocorrendo à medida que um parente desolado com a perda do seu filho ou de sua filha persiste a varrer perímetros remotos para encontrar a prole inexplicavelmente faltosa… Os males perduram na maleficência, pois é o que é, e nada coibirá as mazelas humanas. Importa fincar os pés no barro da íngreme trilha e subi-la até o ápice da última montanha, respirar ares vigentes e ultrapassar o terremoto de injustiças. Essa é Hawkins e os seus loucos. Nada parece bom, aparentemente… e talvez piore.

[xiaolanhua]

Tang Ying, do you want to build a world that belong to us?

Fake It Till You Make It 装腔启示录 (2023) Dir. by Li Mo – Episode 14

#fake it till you make it #cdrama #cdramaedit #cai wenjing #han dong jun #elvis han #elvira cai #userdramas #useryd #uservivs #userhoshii #roserayne #tvedit #dailytvfilmgifs #asiandramasource #dailyasiandramas #my gifs #* #filmandtv #couple compilation

[gabrielokun]

#My Girlfriend's Boyfriend #我女朋友的男朋友 #Gabriel makes stuff #CDrama #Chinese Drama #chinesemedia #A Zhai #Bai Shu #Adam #Ya Dang #Li Chuan #Xia Wa #Eve #Elvira Cai #Ya Dang x A Zhai #Adam x A Zhai #Ya Dang x A Zhai x Xia Wa #Adam x A Zhai x Eve

[romchat]

hey, this is unfashionably late praise, but i just wanted to say that I loved your analysis of the cinematography of fitymi ep 6 (i only recently binged the show in its entirety and was really blown away). perfectly verbalizes what we as an audience member understand implicitly. the composition of each frame in the show is done so well and intentionally, which is super refreshing!! after reading your post, i became even more cognizant of other ziquan/ying scenes and how the camera is used to build romance between the characters (in addition to the amazing writing and chemistry between han dongjun and cai wenjing). thank you for your lovely post!!

Aww, thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed the analysis.

I adored Fake It Till You Make It. Ziquan and Ying were hands down one of my favorite dramaland couples of 2023. Their scenes were realistic but quietly sexy-- I so appreciate shows that use banter as foreplay and the camera work just reinforced the sharp writing and great acting chemistry.

And that walk-up scene when Ziquan is gazing at Ying through the windows of her walk-up?

Absolute perfection.

#fake it till you make it #装腔启示录 #elvira cai #elvis han #cinematography #romchat AMA

[doramasquishy2blog]

UNEXPECTED FALLING 2022

It took me so long to finish this drama.I got hooked with the story not until ep 20 onwards. This drama focuses more on investigating a case involving Ruan Zhen Zhen who was implicated in a debt issue and she met this lawyer Gao Jun who was said to be his old classmate and had a crush on her back in school. However, the plot was a little bit confusing.I don't really understand what was going on not until those revelations happened.

Zhen Zhen is a loyal housewife yet she is smart and kind. Her in-laws even ask her for money when she herself was having a hard time to feed herself. Gao Jun was a lawyer introduced to her by a friend of hers named Su Wen to help her won the case. As the story progresses,Gao Jun's real identity was soon exposed.His real name was Tan Shen he fakes his identity to gain her trust not to harm her but to know the truth. He was suspicious at first but later as they get to know each other they started to see each other in a different light.Zhen Zhen continued their cooperation even after she knew the truth.

There were betrayals after betrayals and people behind it were using someone as a scapegoat to escape their crimes. Xu Youning only appeared in like one or two episodes and I had no idea what he looks like and people were after him because he was hiding something that is crucial to the case.

This is a 38 episode drama and I wasn't expecting that much romance between the leads but they do have these little sweet moments together and their chemistry is on fire since they are a much older couple. The scene at the beach was beautifully shot.

But the drama focuses more on solving the case and finding the real culprit.

Zhen Zhen and Tan Shen worked with few trusted people to help them solve the case. The ending was rushed but it ended well. I just want the leads to work in another drama something light and for them to be happy.

#不期而至 #Cai Wenjing #elvira cai #peng guan ying #彭冠英 #蔡文静 #unexpected falling #cdrama #chinese drama #asian drama

[k-airportstyle]

Cai Wenjing - June 24th 2023

#cai wenjing #elvira cai #female

[exohoesworld]

omfg they're not good for my sanity !!!!

#fake it till you make it #elvis han #elvira cai